Tis the Season for Miracles!!

Hello everyone. As I write to you all, I have a smile on my face and a tear in my eye and am full of thanks. The CT scan was as good as it could be..... no new tumors and no growth on the existing tumor. So it would seem we are keeping things at bay. I will meet the surgeon/specialist from Winnipeg on Friday and discuss the plan but we are feeling relieved and confident.
Kyle has arrived home for the holidays and it was so great to pick him up from the airport and share such a special hug. Exams are over and the partying has begun. Manda and boys are over lots and those little monkeys love the Christmas carols and are always singing and saying HO HO HO MERRY CHRISTMAS....warms our hearts. Once again, there is lots of singing and dancing going on at our house.
Our home is full of love and happiness and an appreciation for the season. Will keep you all in the loop after our next appointment but in the interim, enjoy the holidays. 
                   Much Love Always, Donna

FULL OF HOPE !!!

Hello everyone. First of all, we loved the concert. Was just a great night and think we knew every word of every song!  Was just what the Dr ordered. Felt good for the soul as we sang our hearts out. Our trip to see Kyle in Kelowna was also great. Him and his roommate Scott were very good hosts to us and took us around to a few wineries and up to Big White. Wow that was a test on my blood pressure. I survived that trip so am thinking I should be good. Some of those turns and cliffs and the gas gauge on EMPTY with no gas station for miles made me just a little uptight. Well don't have to worry about my hair turning grey..hahhahahahaha.....cause I don't have any!
This week I have what might be my last chemo. It will be my 12th round since my second surgery and my 34th round in total. My last chemo I was only able to have half of it as my  kidney function was jeopardized. Hope this time I can  get this last one in me. I will then have my CT on Dec 11th and Winnipeg for results and future plan on the 19th. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let it be good for me and my family and friends so Christmas can be as special as can be. Kyle arrives home on the 14th of Dec and is here till Jan 5th so sure will be great. Mandy and the boys are home for the holidays too so we will be together....best gift of all! Kelly is doing pretty good. Decorated the house for the holidays once again. The kids have nicknamed us the Griswolds!!!Oh well its all good.
Thanks for your love and support and prayers. Keeping you in the loop   Always, Donna xo

Feeling Thankful

Hello Everyone. I must say thanks again for so much love and support. Not sure how our family will   repay all the kindness we have been shown.....makes me so emotional. I had a call from Cancer Care that the CA 125 is back and the number remained exactly the same as it was before the last chemo so this is good news to us. Would seem the cancer has not grown so we will go ahead and have the next 2 rounds of chemo. First one is this Wednesday and then Dec 3 rd. The plan after that will be another CT scan and lets all say one extra prayer that that shows nothing and we can put this journey behind us again for a long while.
Tomorrow Kelly and I will go relive our courtship and listen to some Fleetwood Mac in Winnipeg and maybe make out in the back seat of our car....hahhahahahhaa!! Can just see my kids when they read this post. We are also going to see Kyle soon so need to get the Chemo behind me and feel better quick. Feel excited that we have planned a few fun events. Much love to you all. Keeping you in the loop                 always, Donna

ITS A ROLLER COASTER RIDE

Hello everyone ,
Been a tough week for me but I think im back on the track!! Last week I had a drs apt before my chemo and the dr shared with me my CA 125 had risen. This is the number they use to ensure the cancer is not growing. This can mean one of two things. That perhaps it was just up because I had a cold and wasn't feeling great or that the chemo is not effective any longer. They will take my blood again on the 5th and check the CA 125 again. If its up, they will stop chemo and give my body a rest till such time they need to restart treatment and will look for a new more effective cocktail. So back to one day at a time. Thank heavens for all my family, friends  and support. 
On a happier note, Kelly is feeling better and we hope he is truly on the mend. Mandy and boys are great and we spent Halloween night together with our little chickens. Kyle is doing well and is busy with school . We are flying out to see him on Nov 19th for 5 days. Will be so great for us to have a fun getaway. 
Will keep u all posted on my results. Thanks for ur love and support and prayers. Keeping you in the loop                      Always, Donna xxoo

So much to be THANKFUL for!!!

Hello everyone! Well I have my 9th round of chemo behind me and feeling pretty good again. I Had my CT scan on Tuesday and went to Cancer Care Brandon yesterday to get the results.. With many tears streaming down my cheeks, im so thankful for good news. The scan shows that things have shrunk and that the cancer has not spread. This is so wonderful for not only me but my family and all my friends and supporters.
My CA 125 is at 40 and normal range is 0 to 35. Next Friday the 17th we have a  appointment with Winnipeg and they will give me direction if I need to have more chemo. I thought man I cant do anymore but with the good news from the CT im ready to tackle whatever lies ahead.
Kelly is doing well and enjoying his work with our company. The seniors love him and a few of the women tell him how handsome he is...and he loves that!!
Kyle is good and enjoying life out in Kelowna again. School keeps him busy and we are very excited to be having him home on Saturday for Thanksgiving. Manda and her boys are good and continue to share love and sunshine to us almost daily.
Thanks everyone for all love, the prayers and support. Our family is so very blessed. Happy Thanksgiving  Keeping you in the loop   Always Donna xxoo

Hi -Ho Hi-Ho its off to Chemo i go!!

 Well all my blood work etc was good today so its chemo round number 8 in the morning. As much as I think I don't want chemo, I admit I'm very grateful my body keeps allowing me to have more. I'm feeling good and need to keep being strong to continue this chemo regime. After tomorrow I will have one more round Oct 1st and then a CT scan Oct 7th and to Winnipeg Oct 17th so perhaps the end is in site. Not getting my hopes up just keep with the one day at a time approach.
Kyle has moved out to Kelowna again and busy back into his final year of business. We are so proud of him to forge ahead as we realize it was pretty tough to leave home this fall with all our family has on our plate. Manda  and boys are good and keep a close eye on Kelly and i. Our little monkeys keep asking to see Grammie and Pappie so we don't get to bored. Thanks again to the many special people in our lives who keep remembering us with phone calls, visits,food and prayers.  Will keep you all in the loop. Always Donna  xo   

LUCKY SEVEN

Hello everyone. Well back to chemo I go tomorrow for round 7 . Its a bitter sweet situation and it goes sort of like this....my body is doing well as am tolerating the chemo with just the normal side  effects so the oncologist suggests we keep going. My CA 125 was 42 so things keep going in the right direction and we are so thankful for that. I've needed a few pep talks and have dug deep but I am ready to go and knock the number down more.
Some of you have probably heard my rock Kelly has been under the weather. He was in hospital last week for 5 days but is home again. He had a great deal of pain and DR here believe it to be a form of arthritis. Tomorrow he will go to a specialist in Winnipeg and I will go to chemo.... we had to laugh at the thought of this as it seemed easier than the alternative.( crying )
Thanks God for our family and friends and kindness and prayers. Not sure how we can ever pay it forward enough.
Will keep you all in the loop  Much love Always, Donna